Tributes pour in for highly-respected youth coach Colin Beer

Tributes have poured in for Lymington-based Colin Beer, the retired Hampshire cricket youth coach and manager, who died recently aged 87 years.

Beer managed the Hampshire U19 and U17 county teams in the mid-1990s with distinction, and his squads frequently did well in national competitions, writes Mike Vimpany.

In his playing days, he was a prominent, tall pace bowler who twice took all ten opposition wickets in an innings, once for Oliver’s Battery in the Hampshire League against Hayling Island.

A civil engineer by profession, he worked for many years for Hampshire County Council, being heavily involved with the initial phases of the M27 in the 80s.

The firm, often finger-bone-crushing handshake with which he greeted people masked Colin Beer’s kind and gentle personality, making him a popular figure among the scores of talented youngsters he coached.

Among his early pupils was a young Tony Middleton, who made 160 Hampshire appearances, dipping his toes into local cricket by playing alongside Beer at Oliver’s Battery, the club he joined after moving up from Devon against a short spell at South Wilts.

He said: “He loved talking cricket and had both a passion for and a great knowledge of the game. His coaching message was always positive, relaxed and supportive.

“A kind and gentle man with a smile for everyone.”

Middleton’s views were echoed by Millfield’s Mark Garaway, who became an analyst in Duncan Fletcher’s England Ashes-winning era after working at Hampshire.

New Milton all-rounder David Wheeler reflected on the memories of his time with the Hampshire Colts: “Colin was well-liked and respected by the teams, and he worked hard to encourage their talent. He was one of the top guys.”

Colin was married for over 50 years to Ginnie (Jenny) – his wife, a long-term and highly respected civil servant, taking on the duties of Hampshire YC official scorer.

Born in Brixham, Beer played his early cricket at Crediton, taking all ten North Devon wickets for 47 runs at Instow in May 1964.

Twenty seasons later, he repeated the remarkable ten-wicket feat playing for Oliver’s Battery against Hayling Island – his stunning 10-20 return sitting proudly in the Hampshire League’s records.

The two cricket balls, mounted and engraved with his match figures, sat proudly in the lounge at his Lymington retirement home.

Funeral details will be announced shortly.